Tin can



No. 750,077. j

UNITED STATES Patented January 19, 1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

i HENRY E. BANDLOW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

`,TIN CAN.

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,077, dated January 19, 1904. :Application flied october'is, 190s. seriaiNo. 176,905. (Numana Z., To a/ZZ whom t may concern,.- Y

Beit known that I, HENRY E. BANDLow, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tin Cans, of which the following is a specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to that type of socalled roll-top Vcans in which the top edge of the body is flanged outwardly, forming a fiat seat for the cover, which is soldered thereto, the cover being provided with alug for the engagementof a key-by means of which it may be ripped from its seat. Y

The object of the invention is to increase the strength of the joint securing the cover to the body, so that it may withstand the internal pressure developed by the so-called processing of the contents, such as meats. It has been found in practice that this form of joint as heretofore made has been weak, so that a larger percentage of failures of the can has resulted than is commercially tolerable, and

' hence this form of can, while superior to any other key-opening can, has not come into vogue for use in connection with processed goods.

The invention consists in a can having a top joint or seam in which there is an instanding ange `forming a part of the body and extending beyond its plane.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a square can embodying the invention, the cover being removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cover for such a can. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the expansion or bulging of the can due to internal pressure. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a round can embodying the invention, the cover being removed; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

L The invention is adapted to either so-called square or angular cans or round cans, and the drawings show it as applied to both.

At 10 there is shown the body of a square can and having the usual tapering form and being, in fact, oblong in plan section, as meatcans are commonly made. The body is .pro-

vided at its bottom with an instanding iange l1, and the bottom 12 has its marginal portions flat, so as to conform to the seat thus provided for it and to'which it is secured by solder. At the top of the body the can is flanged outwardly, as shown atl, and then inwardly, as shown at 14, and along ythe sides of the body this instanding flange is prolonged beyond the plane of the sidewall, as shown at 15. This instanding flange might be continued entirely around the can; but this is found in practice unnecessary, and hence-I show it as along the sides only.

The cover or top'16 is preferably paneled; but its marginal portion is fiat, so as to rest upon the flanged margin of the body, to which it is secured by solder. In the instance illustrated the sides of the panel are'curved inwardly, as shown at 17, to accommodate the instanding iiange 15. At one corner of the cover 16 there is formed a projecting lug 2l, to which a key may be applied, and when the canning operation is completed this lug may be readily turned down against the body of the can, so as not to interfere with the packing and handling.

Applying the invention to a round can, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the outstanding iiange at the upper edge 18 is continuous, as is also the inturned flange 19` above it and the instanding ange 20, forming a part thereof.

The cover in this instance is applied as in the case of the square can. Cans of this type have long been in use for the packing of goods which do not develop an internal pressure in their preparation and have been highly successful. It has been found, however, that when the can is used for the packing of goods such as cooked meats, which develop an internal pressure during the canning operation, the seam by which the top is secured to the body is apt to open up along the longer sides of the can. This occurs notwithstanding the use of extreme care in applying the solder, and while the cause of this weakness has been variously explained itis in my judgment due to the fact that the inturned portion of the flange is in the stamping operation forced so tightly against the outstanding portion that IOO it will not yield to pressure, so that when the cover is bulged out, as shown in Fig. 4, the strain comes wholly upon the seam and it is apt to open. Vhen, however, the nstanding portion 14 of the flange is prolonged inwardly, as shown at l5, the seam between the two flanges is not so close as is otherwise the case, the solder joint or seam is wider, and hence stronger, and, furthermore, there is a shoulder to which the outward pressure is applied. As a result of these several conditions the outward bulging of the can during the processing operation causes the metal to bend at the outer turn or edg'e of the flange, thus opening up the seam or joint between the two members of the flange, as shown at 22, while leaving the solder-seam intact,

I do not deem it essential in cans used in connection with canned meats or other materials which do not develop a greater internal pressure than meats to provide this overlapping instanding flange except at the sides of square cans, for the reason that the form of can itself tends to strengthen the joint at the ends, and in practice it is found that the rupture seldom occurs at this place. In round cans, however, there is no point of relative weakness, and it is advisable, therefore, that the instanding flange be annular in form, so that the seam may be of uniform strength throughout the entire circumference ofthe can. rlhe bottom seam is of sufficient strength, as shown, and as heretofore made the 1nstand1ng flange 11 1s free to bend outwardly, following the bottom as it bulges. a

I claim as my invention- 1. A can-body of the type shown and described, having its edge flanged outwardly, the flange being folded back upon itself, the return portion extending beyond the plane of the wall of the body and forming a cover-scat.

2. In a can of the type shown and described, in combination, a body portion having one of its ends flanged outwardly, the flange being folded bael upon itself and forming a coverseat, the return portion projecting beyond the plane of the body, and a Cover seated upon and soldered to the instanding flange.

3. A can-body of the type shown and described, angular in cross-section and having one of its edges flanged outwardly, the flange being folded back upon itself and forming a cover-seat, the return portion being prolonged beyond the plane of the body along the sides thereof.

1l. A can-body of the type shown and described, having its edge flanged outwardly and then returned upon itself, the return portion lying in contact with the outstanding portion and projecting inwardly beyond the line of the can-body wall.

` HENRY E. BANDLOW. Vitnesses.

LoUIs K. GILLsoN, E. M. KLA'roi-IER. 

